Apparatus for testing materials



Aug. 17, 1937. c. B. THORNE APPARATUS FOR TESTING MATERIALS Fil'ed Feb. 7, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.1

INVENTOR ARL ETHDRNE B ATTORNEY Aug. 17, 1937. 7 c THQRNE 2,090,077

APPARATUS FOR TESTING MATERIALS 7 Filed Feb. 7, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i NVEN TOR CARL B-THORNE BY ATTORNEY Aug. 17, 1937. c. a. THORNE 2,090,077

APPARATUS FOR TESTING MATERIALS Filed Feb. 7, 1956 3 Sheets-Speet 5 INVENTOR CARL B.THORNE 45 .4%. flaw 4a BY ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Carl Busch Thorne, Hawkesbnry, Ontario,

Canada Application February I, 1936, Serial No. 62,797

4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for testing materials and more particularly to the measuring and recording of the amount of solids carried in suspension in a liquid.

5 The invention has particular adaptability to the measuring and recording of the quantity of fibre which is being carried away with the waste water of a pulp mill. It is a well known procedure to test the waste or "white" water from a pulp mill in order to ascertain the amount of fibres therein, which normally constitute a considerable loss to the mill, so that proper adjustments may be made to the paper making machines in order to restrict the loss as much as possible. In most instances, samples are periodically taken by hand from the white water and tested. Such a procedure is objectionable for obvious reasons: The services of an attendant are necessary; the periods between sampling, being dependent on the attendant, may vary greatly; the necessity of machine adjustment may only become apparent when a sample is tested and, in the meantime, a heavy loss may have occurred during the period between the testing of samples. In some instances,

means have been proposed for automatically removing samples of white water at periodic intervals, to be later tested by an attendant.

The present invention has for its object to provide a means for continuously and automatically measuring and recording the amount of solids contained in a liquid and thus, in the application of the invention to the measurement and indication of fibre content in pulp mill waste water,

5 the need of machine adjustments becomes immediately apparent and the consequent potential fibre loss, which is usually of substantial extent, may be avoided.

The invention will now be described with ref- 40 erence to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a device embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the weighing mechanism;

Figure 4 is an enlarged end elevation, partly in section, of the weighing mechanism; and

Figure 5 is adiagram of a suitable electrical 50 circuit for use in conjunction with the weighing mechanism.

The principal parts of the apparatus, as shown in the drawings; are a revolving perforated plate cylinder I, a fibre separating device 2, a revolv- 55 ing fine mreen cylinder 3, which has slightly inclined walls, and a weighing mechanism 4, all of which are mounted on a supporting frame 5.

The plate cylinder l is mounted on a hub l and is provided with an axial inlet 6 at one end. extending through the hub i' for all or a portion of the waste water from the mill and within the cylinder is placed a baiile plate I and a worm 8. This-cylinder l serves the purpose of removing large coarse particles, such as the knots and slivers in wood pulp, the suspended fine material or'fibres passing through the perforated plate into a trough 9 surrounding the cylinder I, while the coarse particles are carried to the end of the cylinder by the worm 8 and discharged into a container In which leads to the sewer. The liquid containing the suspended fibres flows into a box II at one end of trough 9 and thence through a p A weir ll' may be provided in box ll, whereby any excess water may fiow over the same and be led off to the sewer through a pipe l3 connected to pipe I0.

The fibre separator 2 is of the type described inv detail in prior United States Patent No. 1,826,485 and is not claimed specifically herein. This separator may be of a very small size proportionate to the volume of water under treatment and consists of a cylindrical casing ll within which are mounted a plurality of revolving screens l5 carried by a. framework l6 mounted on hubs H. An inlet l8 which is provided for the white water at the centre of the casing l4 communicates with pipe 12 and extends through a hub I! to discharge into the several lowermost screens IS. The water flows through the screens into casing I4 and is discharged through pipe l9 to the sewer, while the fibre particles cling to the screen and are carried to the top where they are washed oil? by a spray pipe into a small stationary hopper 2|, which discharges the particles with the aid of a second spray pipe 22 into a pipe 23.

Pipe 23 discharges into the fine screen cylinder 3 which, it will be noted, is mounted coaxially with the separator 2 on a hub 24. The cylinder 3 serves as a thickener for the fibres, the water passing through the screen into a trough 25 thence through a pipe 26 to the sewer, and the ,fibres rolling down the incline of the cylinder and discharging from the end thereof.

Driving power-is supplied by means of a motor II, which drives a gear- 12 through a suitable 1 speed reducer I3. Gear 12 meshes with a gear ll mountedon a hollow shaft 15 to which are secured the hubs ll of the separator 2 and hub l2 to the centre ofthe fibre separatori.

24 of cylinder 3. Cylinder Iv is rotated by means of a gear 16 mounted on the hub I meshes with a gear 11 which in turn meshes with gear 14'. If necessary, the speed of rotation of the thickening cylinder 3 suitable gearing.

The weighing mechanism 4 includes a supporting structure therefor comprising a pair of side plates 27 secured in place by rods 23 passing through sleeves 23, a 'pair of weight arms 30 carried by a beam 3| suspended art-either end from lugs 32 secured to the side plates 21, a hopper 33 suspended from one end of the weight arms 30 and a weight box 34 suspended from the other end of the weight arms 33. A suitable point of suspension for the beam 3| is provided by the cooperating projections 35 and 35' at either end of the beam and on the lugs 32, respectively. Similarly, hopper 33 and weight box 34 are provided with points of suspension by projections 36 formed on suspension plates 31 of the hopper and on suspension arms 38 of the weight box and cooperating projections 36' formed at either end of the weight arms 33. Downward movement of the weight box 34 is limited by means of steps 34' on the suspension arms 33 and corresponding stops 33 on the plates 21.

a The hopper 33 is ments 39 and 40 adapted to receive the material to be weighed, the receiving openings of the compartments being in planes at right angles to each other. The hopper 33 is pivoted at 4| to the susnf pension plates 31 whereby it may rotateinorderto successively dump one or other of the compartments and place the opening of theothercompartment in receiving position. It will be noted that the centre v partment 39 is in receiving position, as shown in Figure 3, is to the right oi the centreof'suspension so that as material is received by'compartment 39- the centre of ri ht and when a predetermined quantity of material is received by the compartment 39, the

hopper tends to rotate in a clockwise direction to dump compartment 43 in receiving position. The centre of gravity of the hopper is then to the left of the centre of suspension and the reverse action takes place to dump compartment 43 and place compartment 33 in receiving position.

The two receiving positions of the hopper are accurately determined, and the hopper retained therein, by means of pins 42 side wall of each compartment." and 43 and adapted to engage'a corresponding groove 43 in a lever 44 pivoted at 45 on one suspension plate 31. Means are provided for moving the lever 44 out of engagement with the pins 42 in 'order to permit dumping of the compartmen and comprises a solenoid-actuated link 46 carried by one end of a sleeve 41 mounted on a shaft 43 secured in one of side plates 21 adjacent the the other end of sleeve 41 carrying a 05 49, on which is mounted a pin 53 gage the lever 44. A solenoid 5| an operat is connec second link is provided with plunger 52, the outer endof which to link 43, whereby when the sole- 41 and link 4 causes the pin 53 to strike lever 44 and move it out of engagement with pin 42. A mercury switch 53 is mounted on one end of a shaft 54 carried by a side plate 21 adjacent '5 one of the weight arms 33. A lever 55 is mounted and which may be increased by provided with two compart-v of gravity of the hopper when com-.

gravity moves more to the- 33 and place compartment projecting from the hopper 33,

adapted to 'enon the other end of shaft ,54 and is connected to a pin 56 carried by the weight arm 33. Thus tilting of the weight arm 30 operates to close or, open the circuit of the switch.

A suitable electrical circuit i'or use in connection with the weighing device is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 5 and comprises a main energized circuit 51 connected to the terminals of the mercury switch 53 and through a transformer 58 to a suitable recording mechanism 53 having a recording arm 60 and chart 6|. The solenoid 5| is also in the circuit 51, as shown, as is also any suitable electric counter 32.

' The operation of the weighing mechanism in conjunction with the fibre separating mechanism will be apparent. The weighing mechanism is mounted on the supporting frame 5, as shown in Figure 1, in such a position that the discharged material from cylinder 3 drops into one or other of compartments 39 or 40 of hopper 33. When empty, the weight box 34 balances the hopper 33 and weightsequal to the weight it is desired to weigh per hopper discharge are placed in the weight box, which drops to engage its stops 34' and 38' and tilts the arms 30 whereby the mercury switch 53 breaks the electrical circuit. When the correct weight of material has fallen into the hopper, the arms '30 tilt in a clockwise direction to the position shown in Figure 3 and cause the mercury switch 53 to close the circuit. Closing of the circuit energizes the solenoid 5| ,to operate its plunger 52 to disengage the lever 4.4 and allow the'hopper to dump. Closing of the circuit also actuates the arm 60 of the recorder 59 whereby the chart Iii is marked to represent a certain predetermined number of pounds of fibre, from which the total fibre loss may be calculated. The electric counter 52 may be pro- 'vided in order to record the number of dumps made by the hopper in a given period.

The amount of fibre loss in white water may therefore be accurately and continuously ascerreceive the waste said screen cylinder and successively to weigh predetermined quantities of said fibres and means for continuously recording the weights of said quantities.

2. Apparatus for testing the amount of solids in a flowing fluid suspension comprising means for continuously removing from said flow a constant portion of said suspension, means for re- Ynoving the solids from said removed portion as it flows to be discharged, weighing means arranged continuously to receive said solids as they are separated and successively to weigh predetermined quantities thereof and means for recording said successive weights.

3. Apparatus for testing the amount of fibres ,in the flowing waste water of paper mills comprising means for continuously removing from said flow a constant portion of said waste water, a separating device adapted to receive said portion and to remove water therefrom mum to receive the concentrated fibres and to thicken them to a predetermined density. and weighing means adapted continuously to receive said thickened fibres and successively weigh predetermined quantities thereof while said waste water continues to flow.

- 4. Apparatus for testing the amount 0! fibres in the flowing waste water of paper mills comprising means for removing coarse particles from the 10 flowing waste water, means for continuously removing from flow a constantportion of the partially purified waste water, a. separating device to receive said portion and to remove. fibres therefrom, a. rotary screen cylinder to thicken the fibres to a predetermined density, and weighingv means adapted to receive said thickened fibres and to successively weigh predetermined quantitles thereof while said white water continues to CARL BUSCH THORNE. 10 

